Michael Anan Onimisi has been charged by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with creating software code-named “Bee-Leaf” and “Real-Eve” in order to defraud First City Monument Bank Plc of the sum of N17,785,010.75.
Onimisi was charged with creating the software to penetrate the bank’s security measures in order to steal money from it. He was charged with six counts that included elements of money laundering and cyber fraud.
One of the counts reads “that you, Michael Anan Onimisi, sometime in June 2023, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly retained the total sum of N17, 785,010.75 (Seventeen Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Ten Naira and Seventy-Five Kobo only), from First City Monument Bank Plc, which funds you knew forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d)of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.
When the six counts were read to the suspect, he entered a not guilty plea.
N. Salele, the prosecutor’s attorney, requested a trial date and also asked the court to remand the defendant to a correctional facility before the trial began.
In the meantime, defense attorney Rabiu Mohammed informed the court that a bail application was pending. Salele argued against it, appealing for more time to consider it and reply to it.
Justice Aikawa then postponed the matter to October 19, 2023, for the hearing on the bail application, and until December 6, 2023, for the start of the trial after hearing both counsels’ arguments.
Additionally, the defendant was to be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kaduna State, per his direction.